Grünfeld Defense: Counterthrust Variation

An entry in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO E60), reached after 8 half-moves: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 d5.

Black rook — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

Black knight — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

End of this line

No further variations branch from this position in our database. To explore neighbouring ideas:

About this opening

Grünfeld Defense: Counterthrust Variation is an opening in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, classified under code E60. ECO group E (E00–E99) covers Indian defences against 1.d4, covering the Nimzo-Indian, Queen's Indian, King's Indian and Catalan systems. This particular variation is reached after 8 half-moves from the starting position, with the move sequence 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 d5.

It belongs to the Grünfeld Defense family. Within that family this is a sub-variation (the Counterthrust Variation line).

The opening sequence in prose form: 1.d4 Nf6, 2.c4 g6, 3.g3 Bg7, 4.Bg2 d5. From this position the encyclopaedia records no further canonical continuations — practical play branches into unnamed transpositions or returns to the parent line for alternative ideas.